Like two of our earlier Edgar Allan Poe tales (The Back Cat and The Tell-Tale Heart), this story involves an unreliable, unhinged narrator facing execution for murder trying to account for his crime. He blames his actions on an agent he claims to be in all of us called the “Imp of the Perverse”. The Imp, he argues, is an urge that drives people to do things they shouldn’t for the simple reason that they know it to be wrong. Ironically, the Imp that drove him to murder also drove him to confess. Themes include perverseness, obsession, madness, self-destruction. More…
The Fir Tree
This story by the Danish poet and writer Hans Christian Andersen is about a tree that grows up never being satisfied with its life. There is only one day in the tree’s life (a Christmas Eve) that it feels truly happy. After Christmas, people throw it into a dark attic. While waiting for what comes next, the tree realizes there were many other good things in its life that should have been enjoyed. It is excited when finally brought out into the sun, only to meet a sad end that will make you never want a real Christmas tree again. More…
Hills Like White Elephants
This story by Ernest Hemingway is aptly set at a railway junction. A couple waiting for a train have an important decision to make that will determine the direction of their lives. Unfortunately, they have reached a point in their relationship where they find it hard to open up and talk about their feelings. Although the man says he will leave it up to the woman, he puts subtle pressure on her to choose his way. Themes: perspective (male vs. female views on pregnancy and abortion), choices and consequences (freedom vs. family), language and communication (disconnection), dependence and control. More…
The Queen of Spades
This entertaining, quite witty story from Alexander Pushkin shows how greed can overcome our better judgement when presented with a seemingly easy way to make money. A young soldier spends hours watching his fellow officers gamble at cards. He never joins in because he can’t afford to risk his small savings. When he learns that an old socialite knows a secret strategy that always wins at faro, he devises a heartless plan to learn it. He begins to gamble using her information, winning and doubling the bet each time. Unfortunately for him, the old socialite has the last laugh. More…
Silver Water
Amy Bloom’s deeply moving Silver Water examines an often-overlooked aspect of mental illness: its impact on the sufferer’s family. Throughout the story, the parents (Galen and David) and their two “warrior queen” daughters struggle to navigate their way through inadequate medical insurance and mental illness support systems. In the process, they demonstrate what family love is all about. There is considerable irony in the fact that David (a psychiatrist!) not only failed to diagnose his daughter’s condition, but also has the most difficulty coping with her at home. Themes: mental illness, family love, death as a relief. More…